John henry ostertag



J. H. 0ST TAG.

SHELF s ORT.

Patented Feb. '8, 1898.

(No el.

@YMG

TAT E S SHELFI-SUPPORIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,742, dated February 8, 1898.

Application filed April 20, 1897. Serial No. 633,042. (No model.) I

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HENRY OSTERTAG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbia, in the county of Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Shelf-Support, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to adjustable shelving for bookcases, secretaries, and racks in which it is desirable to shift the shelves to regulate the distance between them to the height of the books or articles to be placed thereon.

The gist of the invention resides in the particular means employed for supporting the shelves in an adjusted position, the same con sisting of bracket-studs having wedgershap'ed vertical extensions to come between the end of a shelf and the side or gable of the case or cabinet, and having lugs at their rear sides to enter one of a series of openings in the said side or gable. The bracket-stud has the anchoring-lug about opposite the seat or shelf rest and at a distance from the ends of the extensions bearing against the gable or part to which the support is fitted.

For a full understanding of the merits and advantages of the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings and the following description.

Figure l is a front view of a bookcase having adjustable shelving supported by the improved bracket-studs, aportion of a side and an end of a shelf being broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of an end portion of a shelf, showing the adjacent side or gable of the bookcase in section. Fig. 3 is a detail section, on a larger scale, showing the application of the invention. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the improved shelfsupport.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in the several views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The sides or gables 1 of the bookcase, cabinet,or other part to which the adjustable shelving is applied are provided with a vertical series of openings 2, and the shelves 3 are provided at their ends with notches 4, corresponding in position to the vertical rows of openings 2, to receive the bracing extensions 5 of the bracket-studs 6.

Each bracket-stud is formed with a seat or and the parts 6 from turning.

rest ,7, a rearwardly-extending lug 8, and a brace 5, integrally formed and preferably cast. The anchoring-lug 8 is of a size to snugly fit any one of the openings 2 and is about in the plane of the seat or rest 7 and is above the lower end 9 of the bracket-stud. The rear faces of the parts 5 and 9 are in the same plane and engage with the side of the upright or gable 1, and the part 9 constitutes a lower brace to bear against the face of the part 1 below the anchoring-lug 8, and the extension 5 acts in a similar manner by engaging with the end of the shelf 3.

By having the shelves notched to receive the vertical extensions 5 of the shelf-supports they are prevented from lateral displacement In order to prevent any end movement of the shelves, the extensions 5 are of wedge form, whereby a slight tap upon the upper side of the shelf will force it upon the seat or rest 7 and any slack therein being taken up by the wedge form of the part 5. The part 5 of the bracketstud coming between the shelf and the side or gable 1 serves to retain the bracket-stud in place and admits of the said part 5 obtain ing a bearing against the end of the shelf when the latter is loaded to such an extent as to tend to loosen the bracket-stud and tilt it upon its anchoring-lug.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is I In combination, side supports having a vertical series of openings in transverse alinement, shelf-supports removably fitted in the said openings and comprising bracket-studs having seats or rests and anchoring-lugs opposite the seats or rests to enter the aforesaid openings, and formed with vertical wedge- .shaped extensions above the said seats or rests to come against the said side supports,

and shelves having notches extending entirely through their edges to receive the said wedgeshaped extensions with either side up and prevented from longitudinal and lateral movement thereby, substantially as set forth.

- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN HENRY OSTERTAG. Witnesses:

E. G. SMITH, W. F. MAULIOK. 

